Wave Diffraction by a Vertical Cylinder with a Porous Ring Plate

Abstract

Linearized potential wave theory is applied to investigate the phenomenon of wave diffraction by a vertical circular cylinder with a thin ring plate in water of finite depth. By means of the eigenfunction expansion method, harmonic expressions for the velocity potential are obtained. The numerical results for the wave loads and the wave height surrounding the body are discussed. It is found that the presence of a thin ring plate causes the focusing of wave energy near the rear edge of the cylinder for small dimensionless porous-effect parameters. A porous ring plate behaves as a wave absorber, which leads to a decrease of the wave height until setdown occurs. The ring plate can decrease not only the horizontal wave force but also the moment on the cylinder. In general, the mechanism of decreasing the wave loads on the cylinder by a porous ring plate is different from that by an impermeable ring plate. An impermeable ring plate attached to the cylinder causes wave focusing near the rear edge of the cylinder so that the difference between wave heights at the front edge and at the rear edge of the cylinder becomes small; hence the wave loads on the cylinder are decreased. A porous ring plate behaves as a wave absorber, which decreases the wave height at the front edge of the cylinder, and thus leads to a decrease of wave loads on the cylinder.